Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,846 in Jeddah versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,474 in Jeddah versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Jeddah costs roughly 47% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeddah is 9% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$17.66 €15.45

-63.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$69.7 €61.0

-43.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$14.16 €12.39

-44.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$2.80 €2.45

35.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$2.81 €2.46

-75.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$2.06 €1.81

-87.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.23 €1.08

36.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$2.03 €1.78

-53.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.98 €1.73

12.63%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$3.49 €3.05

-24.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$18.33 €16.04

-59.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$9.83 €8.60

-20.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.51

$19.13 €16.73

-35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.73 €2.38

-20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.38 €2.09

-34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.08 €1.82

-25.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.75 €2.41

-42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.96 €1.72

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.79 €1.57

-30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.48 €1.29

-25.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.91 €0.80

-39.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$7.13 €6.24

-4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$3.01 €2.63

-56.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$29.35 €25.68

35.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.90

$4.36 €3.82

-27.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.13 €1.86

-13.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$29.60 €25.90

-49.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.82 €1.59

-67.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$37.9K €33.1K

-30.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$32.4K €28.3K

-34.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$108 SAR 406

$189 €165

-42.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.30 SAR 121

$22.29 €19.50

44.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$37.16 €32.51

87.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$58.0 €50.8

57.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$20.66 €18.08

118.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$10.87 €9.51

21.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$407 SAR 1,527

$706 €618

-42.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$14.9K €13.0K

-57.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 236

$89.4 €78.3

-29.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$36.60 €32.02

58.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$104 €91.0

-8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$119 €104

-29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$1,579 €1,381

-67.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$1,238 €1,083

-68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$2,712 €2,373

-66.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$2,039 €1,784

-70.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$7,527 €6,585

-78.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,813

$5,239 €4,584

-80.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$2,364 €2,068

-29.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.39

32.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Jeddah and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 42% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jeddah vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $320 per month, with Jeddah cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jeddah vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah and Barcelona differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $2,320 including rent). Jeddah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $507 in Jeddah versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $407 in Jeddah versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,218 in Jeddah versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jeddah but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Jeddah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Jeddah and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jeddah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.